Loose bit of a tooth

[Jax1]

I have not been dentist for a long time, numerous issues with teeth but one is really worrying me at the moment, a part of a upper back molar is loose, not the whole tooth but part of it, I’m struggling to eat as it moves the bit of tooth and feels uncomfortable, I’m kind of just waiting for it to drop out, not sure if I should try and help it out but worried about the pain it may cause. What can I do other than go see a dentist?

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

Im not a dentist but I wouldnt think there is anything else you can do apart from either see a dentist and they may be able to fix it or remove it. Or, leave it. The worry about leaving it would be if it gets infected or an abscess.

What worries you about getting your dentist to have a look at it for you? You're in control of my treatment so you decide what you do and don't want them to do, but perhaps having them diagnose the problem will help you to decide what the next step should be.

 

[Jax1]

I really really wish I could bring myself to go to a dentist but I literally can’t unless I’m in real pain then I do go fo bare minimum treatment to stop pain. My mouth is a mess, I’m so ashamed. I keep wiggling the bit of tooth now hoping it will just fall out.

 

[Sgb]

I've done that. My fear of the costs kept me from doing so until the pain was excruciating. I am now surviving off of left over oxy from a surgery I barely used it for while waiting for a surgery date to remove multiple teeth.

It's going to be an easier fix now before the pain kicks in.

My recommendation if things are as bad as you think, find someone who will do concious sedation (a sort of twilight where you arent fully unconscious but you won't remember a thing) and have them do as much work as they can while you are in that state. Usually they give you something for nerves before that.

If you are comfortable talking to your doctor about it they may be able to help you overcome that hurdle to get to the dentist.

Good luck.

 

[Jax1]

I totally see what your saying and think it’s a good idea, the reality though is just so hard, once before I got referred to have a tooth out under sedation, I think it was well over a year before I even got a letter and by then the tooth had stopped hurting and to this day has not been removed. Half of me thinks there is nothing I would like more than to have the work done needed, I believe it will be at least 8 extractions, most on upper jaw, I want to be not living in. Constant fear of these teeth but the other half of me is so terrified and sees so many obstacles in the way I just don’t think I can do anything. Twilight Sedation sounds good, I wonder if they do that in uk? I think it just becomes so hard when it is more than one or two teeth that need sorting.

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

You can have sedation for treatment in the UK, or even a general anaesthetic, obviously a GA would need to be done at a hospital where as a sedation can be done at a dental surgery - not all provide this sort of sedation though.

I think dentists are now more aware of phobias and how frightened and anxious some people are about the dentist so they're able to adapt their approach accordingly.

Obviously it's up to you whether you just leave it or not but if a dentist is able to save the tooth by having treatment now, surely that's a better option than leaving it until there's no alternative?

 

[Jax1]

Realistically getting an appointment at my doctors at the moment is impossible, they are doing all the vaccines, but I’m going to bear that in mind for when things get a bit calmer covid wise. It sounds so easy when you say sort it or not but I’m in such a battle with myself, fear overtakes common sense. I have rotten teeth that are basically disintegrated to the roots yet I fear having missing teeth if they get extracted- how does that make any sense, like one of my pre molars very near front is broken and very grey but in my mind it’s still a tooth there and not a gap. Because my front teeth are ok I can smile, if they started to break or decay I think I would go straight away. I have tried so many times to make myself make appointments but I just fail. Also I will add that another part of me just so desperately wants the bad teeth sorted or gone and that missing teeth is better than bad teeth and I would be so happy if I could get them sorted, my whole life would change, I would talk more, smile more be happy!